American Diplomats Attacked

An interactive timeline of what happened before, during, and after the violence in Libya and Egypt.

An armed man waves his rifle at the US consulate compound in Benghazi. (STR/AFP/GettyImages)

STR

Islamist protesters, apparently angered by an obscure American film's depiction of the prophet Mohammed, staged protests at the U.S. embassy in Cairo and the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on the anniversary of 9/11. An attack on the consulate—which U.S. officials believe used the protests as a diversion—killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. The interactive map and timeline below traces these events from beginning to end. The timeline will be updated as events warrant.

The Libya and Egypt Attacks

Click the items below to explore an interactive timeline of the attacks against the American embassy in Cairo, Egypt and the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. This is a developing story. Continue checking here for updates. All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

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Friday, September 14

2 dead, 29 injured in Tunisia Embassy protest

Tunis, Tunisia

1:42 p.m.: The AP, citing Tunisian media, reports that two people have died and at least 29 were injured at Friday's protests in the U.S. Embassy in Tunis.

White House: No evidence Libya attack was planned

Washington, D.C.

11:56 a.m.: Reuters reports that the White House has no information suggesting that the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya was planned.

Protestors attack U.S. Embassy in Tunisia

Tunis, Tunisia

About 10:15 a.m.: Protesters in Tunisia jump the wall of the U.S. Embassy compound in Tunis. They set fire to trees in the compound and smashed windows. Tunisian police opened fire on the crowd, wounding at least five. Also on Friday, protesters set fire to an American school in Tunis, Reuters reports. Via @_Syriana_ on Twitter, here's a picture of the embassy.

Protestors storm British, German embassies in Sudan

Khartoum, Sudan

8 a.m.: Reuters and the AP report that hundreds of protesters stormed the British and German embassies in Khartoum, Sudan. The German Embassy is left partially in flames.

Protestors set fire to KFC in Lebanon

Lebanon

7:47 a.m.: Lucy Kafanov of Russia Today posts a photo of a KFC in Lebanon on fire. Protesters attacked a KFC and a Hardeeâ€™s in Lebanon in protest of the anti-Islam film. Protesters also chanted against the Pope's visit to Lebanon, Reuters reports. At least one was killed and two wounded in clashes between protesters and security forces in Tripoli, Lebanon.

Afghanistan bans YouTube

Jalalabad, Afghanistan

7 a.m.: The AP reports that hundreds in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, demonstrated against the anti-Islam film causing attacks at U.S. embassies across the Middle East. The Afghanistan protests have, according to reports, been peaceful so far. Afghanistan banned YouTube in the country Wednesday to prevent its citizens from seeing the Innocence of Muslims trailer.

Thursday, Sept. 13

Hundreds protest outside U.S. Embassy in Kuwait

Bayan, Kuwait

12 p.m.: The State Department warned of protests at this time near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. Nearly 500 demonstrators gathered in front of the embassy to protest Innocence of Muslims, the AFP reported.

Iranians protest outside Swiss embassy in Iran

Tehran, Iran

Early Morning: Sept. 13, About 500 Iranian students protested outside the Swiss Embassy in Tehran against Innocence of Muslims. The protesters, chanting "Death to America," were held back from the diplomatic compound by security forces.

U.S. embassy in Yemen attacked

Sanaa, Yemen

4:30 a.m.: Hundreds of protesters breach a security perimeter at the U.S. Embassy, climbing over a wall and setting fire to a building. The New York Times reports that the attack came hours after Muslim cleric Abdul Majid al- Zandani asked his followers to stage protests similar to those in Egypt and Libya this week.

Wednesday, Sept. 12

Obama: "justice will be done"

Washington, D.C.

10:35 a.m.: President Obama speaks from the White House Rose Garden and promises that "make no mistake, justice will be done."

Romney says Obama administration is apologetic

Jacksonville, Fla.

10:15 a.m.: Mitt Romney speaks from his campaign office in Jacksonville, where he repeats his criticism of the original statement from the embassy in Cairo, likening it to an "apology" from the Obama administration. "The first response of the United States must be outrage at the breach of the sovereignty of our nation."

Death of three more U.S. officials reported

Benghazi, Egypt

6:11 a.m.: The AP reports that Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and three of his staff members were killed.

RNC chairman criticizes Obama administration's response

Romney criticizes Obama administration's response

Boston

10:24 p.m.: The Romney campaign lifts the embargo, and reporters start mentioning the statement, which reads in part: "It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks."

Obama administration distances itself from embassy tweet

Washington, D.C.

10:10 p.m.: Politico publishes what appears to be the first comment from an Obama administration distancing the White House from the remarks made by the Cairo embassy about the film. "The statement by Embassy Cairo was not cleared by Washington and does not reflect the views of the United States government," an unnamed official tells the Beltway publication.

Romney embargoes statement

Boston

10:09 p.m.: The Romney campaign sends out a statement to reporters that is "embargoed until midnight tonight," i.e., until after the 9/11 anniversary.

Death of U.S. official at Benghazi consulate reported

Benghazi, Egypt

7:15 p.m.: Reuters reports that at least one U.S. official at the Benghazi consulate has been killed.

U.S. Embassy in Cairo stands by original statement

Cairo

6:30 p.m.: The U.S. Embassy in Cairo tweets that its earlier statement concerning the anti-Muslim film "still stands," but notes that it was made before the protests outside its walls began.

Terry Jones hosts mock trial of prophet Mohammad

Gainesville, Fla.

6 p.m.: Terry Jones hosts his "International Judge Muhammad Day," a publicity stunt involving a mock trial of the prophet Mohammed and a screening of the "Muslims" trailer.

Protesters attack U.S. consulate in Libya

Benghazi, Libya

5:39 p.m.: Reuters reports that armed protesters are staging an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Protestors scale walls of U.S. embassy in Cairo

Cairo

1:42 p.m.: The Associated Press reports that Egyptian Islamist protesters, angry about the film, have scaled the walls of the U.S. Embassy and replaced the American flag with an Islamic one.

U.S. Embassy in Cairo criticizes film in tweet

Cairo

6:11 a.m.: The U.S. Embassy in Cairo issues a statement via Twitter condemning "continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims," an apparent response to growing attention in Egypt to the anti-Islam film. (Some of the embassy's tweet have since been deleted.)

Preface

Arabic newspaper reports on film

Cairo

9/9: An Arabic-language newspaper begins reporting about the film's existence, attributing it to "vengeful Copts, accompanied by the extreme priest Terry Jones." (Translation via NYT). Sheikh Khaled Abdalla, meanwhile, broadcasts a clip of the film on Egyptian television.